As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Sunday, 11 February 2018

The sighting of a newly-hatched night parrot in drought-ridden western Queensland has surprised researchers, raising more questions than answers.

The bird, thought to be two to three months old in December, was photographed on Pullen Pullen reserve by PhD candidate Nicolas Leseberg, who has been studying the elusive species for the past two years.

"It's really interesting that even though it had been a really dry year that this desert bird was still willing to keep breeding," Mr Leseberg said.

"Based on its age we can tell that it was born around September and in the area there'd been no serious rain for seven, eight or even nine months."

Baby night parrots were last sighted in November 2016 after the area had received extensive winter rain.

"That was the first time a baby had ever been photographed and that was fascinating but that was sort of expected," Mr Leseberg said.

More questions than answers

The night parrot was considered extinct for more than 75 years but in 2013 it was rediscovered at Pullen Pullen nature reserve, a location that has been kept secret.

The 56,000-hectare property in western Queensland has been designated specifically for the purpose of protecting the parrot.